Case for lipsticks and other pasty products

ABSTRACT

In a container for lipstick or similar materials of the usual kind comprising a stick carrier axially movable within the inner one of two coaxial sleeves and the lipstick being provided with a protective dome, usually transparent, that fits onto the carrier, there are special provisions for ensuring smooth and reliable ejection of the dome on first operation of the container. The open end of the dome has a counterbore to fit over the upper end of the carrier and is also provided with longitudinal slits that define between them flexible tongues of which at least part of the inside faces project inwards from the remainder of the counterbore but only to an extent not greater than the depth of the counterbore.

United States Patent Gruska [45] Dec. 19, 1972 [54] CASE FOR LIPSTICKS AND OTHER PASTY PRODUCTS [72] Inventor: Ralph Gruska, Val-de-Marne,

France [73] Assignee: SEBEC Societe dExploitation de Brevets dEmballage CosmetiqueS A, Fribourg, Switzerland [22] Filed: April 7, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 26,226

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data April 11, 1969 France ..69l12l0 [52] US. Cl ..401/78 [51] Int. Cl. ..A45d 40/02 [58] Field of Search ..401/68-79 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,380,795 4/1968 Gruska ..40l/78 2,797,802 7/1957 Hopgood ..40l/78 v FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France ..401/78 1,163,542 9/1969 Great Britain ..401/77 [57] ABSTRACT In a container for lipstick or similar materials of the usual kind comprising a stick carrier axially movable within the inner one of two coaxial sleeves and the lipstick being provided with a protective dome, usually transparent, that fits onto the carrier, there are special provisions for ensuring smooth and reliable ejection of the dome on first operation of the container. The open end of the dome has a counterbore to fit over the upper end of the carrier and is also provided with longitudinal slits that define between them flexible tongues of which at least part of the inside faces project inwards from the remainder of the counterbore but only to an extent not greater than the depth of the counterbore.

10 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTTED DEC 19 1912 SHEET 1 [IF 5 FIG. 7 5

PATENTED DEC 19 I972 SHEET 3 BF 5 CASE FOR LIPSTICKS AND OTHER PASTY PRODUCTS The invention relates to containers for paste-like materials in the form of sticks, such as make-up, lipstick, other cosmetics, pharmaceutical and vetinerary products and the like, of the kind comprising two coaxial sleeves which are capable of relative rotation, a stick-carrier or godet which is movable within the inner sleeve and which has at least one pin projecting through a slot in the inner sleeve to engage also in a slot in the outer sleeve, one of these slots extending longitudinally and the other helically, and a dome for protecting the stick, of substantially the same outside diameter as the stick-carrier or godet and fitting on one end of the stick-carrier.

In order to ensure automatic ejection of the protective dome, known as an ogive, it has already been proposed to provide the open end of the dome with an internal annular bead in such a manner that it experiences a slight enlargement when it is fitted onto the stick carrier or godet and so that, on first usage of the container, when the stick, with the dome on it, is fully projected, the dome rubs against the internal surface of the inner sleeve and then when one applies a slight retracting movement the rim of the dome, which is now clear of the sleeves and has expanded slightly, comes into engagement with the upper end of the inner or outer sleeve as it retracts and this causes the dome to be pushed off so that it is ejected automatically.

However, such an arrangement has a certain number of drawbacks. In particular, the formation of the internal bead in the open end of the dome presents an undercut which gives rise to difficulties in the moulding of the dome. Moreover, during the first operation of the stick to project it, with the ogive on it, the rim of the dome bears, all round its periphery, against the inside surface'of the inner sleeve, resulting in undue stiffness of operation. Finally, during ejection of the dome the annular bead on it rubs against the lipstick, causing grooves, which also constitutes a drawback.

The aim of the invention is to provide a container for lipstick and other paste-like materials of the kind in question which avoids the drawbacks of the arrangement described above.

For this purpose, according to the invention the dome or ogive that protects the stick and fits on the stick carrier or godet has, on the one hand, a counterbore coaxial with the main bore of the dome but of larger diameter and, on the other hand, pairs of longitudinal slits defining between them spaced flexible tongues each of which has, over at least a part of its length, an internal longitudinal projection of which the thickness in a radial direction is not greater than the radial depth of the counterbore.

Thanks to this particular construction, during the manufacture of the dome or ogive the moulding of it presents no difficulty since the faces that form raised portions or projections in the open end of the dome extend in a longitudinal direction. On the first operation of the mechanism the only parts of the lower end of the ogive that bear against the inside surface of the inner sleeve are constituted by the tips of the flexible tongues, with the result that the frictional surface area is small and the mechanism is consequently easy and smooth to operate during ejection of the dome.

Moreover, the very small projections which are present at the open end of the dome have no tendency to score the stick during ejection of the dome since their tips lie on a pitch circle of diameter which is at least equal to the interior diameter of the dome. Finally, the ejection of the dome occurs in a direction which is truly coaxial with that of the stick as the dome is maintained at several evenly spaced points on its periphery in contact with the face of the end of the sleeve in question.

In a first embodiment in which the stick carrier or godet, in its position of maximum projection, emerges clear of the members around it, the corresponding end of the one of the said members has an inwardly directed flange or shoulder for ejecting the dome.

In this embodiment, when first used, the dome then emerges completely from the sleeves of the container and it is always automatically ejected.

In another embodiment in which the stick carrier or godet, in its position of maximum projection, lie's still partially within the corresponding ends of the members around it, the end in question of one of these members,

preferably the inner sleeve, has a bore of which the diameter is substantially equal to that of the dome and terminates in a counterbore of slightly greater diameter corresponding substantially to the external diameter of the flexible tongues on the dome.

In this other embodiment, in which the diameter of the counterbore is very slightly greater or smaller than the external diameter of the dome, the latter can fall away freely when one retracts the stick carrier or equally well, it could be lightly frictionally retained within the container for subsequent easy removal by hand.

Further features of the invention are revealed by the following description and the. accompanying drawings which show, by way of example, two embodiments of a container according to the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates in longitudinal section a first embodiment of a container according to the invention, the container being shown closed;

FIG. 2 is a section through the dome or ogive alone;

FIG. 3 shows a detail from FIG. 1 to a larger scale;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate successive phases in the ejection of the dome or ogive;

FIG. 7 shows a detail from FIG. 1 to a larger scale;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section through a second embodiment of a container according to the invention, the stick being shown projected;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the container of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a section through the dome or ogive alone;

FIG. 11 shows, to a larger scale, a partial section on the line XI-XI in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a plan view to a larger scale of the stick carrier or godet alone; and

FIG. 13 is a section on the line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12.

The container for paste-like materials in stick form, for example lipsticks, which is shown as a whole in FIG. 1, comprises essentially a stick carrier or godet 1 serving as a carrier for a lipstick enclosed in a protective dome 3, commonly known as an ogive, an inner sleeve 4, an outer sleeve 5, a tubular metal casing 6 and usually a cover 7, the base of the inner sleeve 4 being often itself mounted, as in the case illustrated, on a base cap 8 of a diameter corresponding to that of the cover 7.

All these components except for the tubular casing 6 and possibly the cover 7 are made of thermoplastic synthetic resin.

The stick carrier or godet l is provided with two radial pins, such as 12, diametrically opposed and extending through longitudinal slots 14 in the inner sleeve 4 to engage at the same time in two helical slots 16a, 17 formed in the inner cylindrical surface of the outer sleeve 5.

The mutual axial location of the two sleeves is ensured by two annular shoulders 21, 22 on the inner sleeve 4, against which the corresponding ends of the outer sleeve engage.

The inner sleeve 4 has an extension 23 forming a base cap by which it can be rotated with respect to the outer sleeve and thereby cause a corresponding axial sliding motion of the stick carrier or godet 1 within the sleeves.

The metal casing 6 fits onto the outer sleeve 5 with a certain amount of friction, preferably only slight so as not to distort the sleeve 5 and so as not to risk jamming the mechanism. The casing 6 is also positively held on the outer sleeve 5 by means of a tongue 26 (see also FIG. 7) of which the point, projecting inwards, comes into engagement with part of the external surface of the outer sleeve 5 on a diameter slightly less than the bore of the casing. The outer sleeve 5 comprises, for this purpose, a central part which, extending over a length L, has an outside diameter equal to the inside diameter of the tubular body 6 whereas the two parts which lie on each side of this central part are of slightly smaller diameter. The tongue engaging against the sleeve at a portion of smaller diameter consequently does not produce local distortions of this sleeve such as might hinder smooth functioning of the mechanism.

The dome or ogive 3 for protecting the lipstick 3 has a number of features which are revealed clearly by FIG. 2. The upper part of this dome is, at least in one diametral plane, of ogival shape as shown at 31. The main part 32 of the dome is of cylindrical shape and its outside diameter is substantially equal to the inside diameter of the inner sleeve 4 so as to be able to slide easily inside the latter. At the same time the adjacent part of the open end of the dome has, in the free condition, a diameter very slightly less than that of the main part of the dome so as to improve the functioning of the mechanism for ejecting the dome on first use.

The open end of the dome 3 has a counterbore 35 of which the axial length is not greater than the axial length of a reduced portion 36 on the upper end of the stick carrier or godet 1 onto which the domeis fitted. This reduced portion 36 ends in a short frusto-conical portion 37.

Cut into the end of the protective dome 31 which has the counterbore 35 are a number (three in the example shown) of equally spaced pairs of longitudinally extending slits 41 which define between them equally spaced flexible tongues 42. The width of each tongue is made greater than the width of the slots 14 in the inner sleeve 4 so as to avoid jamming. Each tongue 42 has a longitudinal inwardly extending projection 44 of which the thickness in a radial direction is equal, at the most, to the radial depth of the counterbore 35 and preferably is equal to the latter. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7, in fact, the inner faces of the projections 44 on the tongues simply form smooth cylindrical will downward continuations of the inner cylindrical surface of the dome above the counterbore 35.

The open end of the inner sleeve 4, through which the lipstick emerges, has an inwardly directed flange 47 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of which the inside diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of the tongues 42, these tongues being lightly urged outwards by the radial pressure exercised by the frusto-conical end of the carrier or godet 1, exerted radially outwards against the inside faces of the projections 44 on the tongues.

In a modification the inwardly directed flange 47 could instead be on the corresponding end of the metal casing 6, or equally well on the end of the outer sleeve, being suitably shaped to fit over the end of the inner sleeve.

The operation of the container is as follows:

When it is new the assembly of parts is as shown in FIG. 1, that is to say, the tongues 42 of the dome or ogive are lightly urged outwards by the frusto-conical part 37 of the corresponding end of the stick carrier or godet 1 onto which the dome fits. Thus this dome only bears in practice with the tips of its three tongues 42 lightly against the inside cylindrical surface of the inner sleeve 4. In addition the tips of the tongues lie clear of the portion 36 of the stick carrier or godet of a diameter a little less than the maximum diameter of the frusto-conical portion 37, in such a way that they can deflect slightly inwards so as to improve still further the smoothness of operation of the mechanism.

When the container is used for the first time, by turning the cap 8 the user rotates the inner sleeve while holding stationary the rest of the container by means of the casing 6, which is secured to the outer sleeve, and she consequently causes the stick carrier or godet I to rise, carrying with it the lipstick 2 and the dome or ogive 3. At the instant when the roots of the tongues .42 on the ogive reach the inwardly directed flange 47 at the end of the inner sleeve 4 they exert a slightly increased resistance whilst still able to be deflected inwards against the portion 36 of the cup or godet. These tongues are thus compressed inwards during their passage past the flange 47 of the sleeve which at the same time expands slightly since it is split, then, when theyhave passed the flange as shown in FIG. 4, they regain a slightly more flared configuration so that, when the user then turns the cap 8 in the other direction to retract the lipstick slightly (FIG. 5) the lower end of the dome 3 comes into engagement with the external end face of the flange 47 (FIG. 6) and cannot re-enter the sleeve.

The three tongues 42 on the dome keep it fully in line with the lipstick during retraction of the latter so that the ogive is ejected without rubbing against the lipstick and consequently without scoring it.

In FIGS. 8 to 13 is shown a second embodiment and the parts which correspond to those of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 are identified by the same reference numerals increased by a hundred, for ease in understanding the description. This container comprises a stick carrier or godet 101 for the lipstick 102 protected by a dome or ogive 103, an inner sleeve 104, an outer sleeve 105, a base cap or button 108, a cover screwthreaded to match a corresponding thread on the inner sleeve I04.

Pins 112-on the carrier or godet 101 engage longitudinal slots 1 14 in the inner sleeve and helical slots, such as 116, in the outer sleeve.

The two axial locating shoulders on the inner sleeve are indicated at 121 and 122.

The base cap 108 has on it keying splines 120 into which the corresponding end of the inner sleeve 104 is forced.

Whereas in the embodiment described earlier with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 the upper end of the stick carrier or godet could emerge from the corresponding end of the inner sleeve, in the present embodiment of FlGS. 8 to 11 the carrier or godet 101 always remains within the inner sleeve 104, even at its extreme position.

The sleeve 103 also has equally spaced tongues 142 each having an inwardly projecting boss or projection 144 (see also FIG. 11) and, in the example illustrated the reduced end of the cup or godet 101, on which is received the dome 103 for protecting the lipstick, has longitudinally extending external grooves 130 which do not break through into the inner face of the carrier but which confer on it a degree of elasticity. The projections 144 are in the form of pips rather than smooth longitudinally extending faces, but the moulding presents no problems in view of the flexibility of the tongues 142 on which the pips are formed. The radial height or thickness of the pips is not greater than, and is preferably equal to, the radial depth of the counterbore in which the tongues are formed.

The outer end of the inner sleeve 104 has a counterbore 140 defining an annular shoulder 140A. Two cases can be considered:

First Case: The inside diameter D of the counterbore 140 at the end of the inner sleeve 104 is greater than the diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of the tongues 142 of the dome 103. In this case, when the container is operated for the first time, the user proceeds as indicated above with reference to the first embodiment and when the lipstick has been caused to project to its maximum extent the lower end of the dome 103 has come to a position opposite the counterbore 140 so that the tongues 142 of the dome, being expanded, no longer retain the dome, which can thus fall away as the container. is operated in the reverse direction.

Second Case: The inside diameter D of the counterbore 140 of the inner sleeve is slightly less than the diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of the tongues 142 of the protective dome. In this case, when the lipstick is retracted after its first projection the dome is held in place by the friction of these tongues against the wall of the counterbore 140 of the inner sleeve. It does not then fall away of its own accord but it can easily be grasped by the user and it is only necessary to overcome the very light frictional forces that hold the tongues 142 in the sleeve.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 to 13, in which the inner sleeve is not split at that end through which the lipstick emerges, this end of the sleeve does not expand appreciably when, on first operation, the stick carrier or godet is projected to the maximum extent to eject the protective dome, but the end of the carrier or godet can become compressed resiliently inwards thanks to the presence of the grooves 130.

It will be understood that various modifications can be made without going beyond the scope of the invention.

For example one could give the faces or the projections on the inside face of the resilient tongues any desired shape other than that illustrated.

Equally, one could arrange for the dome or ogive to be ejected by it engaging against the end of theouter sleeve, appropriately shaped for this purpose, or against the end of the metal casing 6. In this latter case the tongue 26 helps the casing 6 to retain its axial position on the outer sleeve.

lclaim:

1. In a container for paste-like materials in stick form, comprising inner and outer sleeves of moulded plastics which are capable of relative rotation, a stick carrier movable within said inner sleeve and having thereon at least one pin projecting through a slot in said inner sleeve to engage also a slot in said outer sleeve, one of said slots extending longitudinally and the other helically, and a removable stick-protecting dome of substantially the same outside diameter as said stick carrier and having an open end by which it fits onto said stick carrier, said dome having a counterbore at said open end and longitudinal slits in the counterbored open end portion, defining between them spaced flexible tongues, the improvement which consists in the provision of a projection on the inside surface of each one of said tongues, each projection having a radial thickness not greater than the radial depth of said counterbore, said projections acting frictionally to engage said stick carrier at spaced points prior to removal of said dome from said container and acting to facilitate removal of said dome from said container.

2. The container set forth in claim 1 wherein said stick carrier in its position of maximum projection projects beyond the members which enclose it and wherein the corresponding end of one of the said members has an inwardly directed flange serving for ejecting said dome.

3. The container set forth in claim 1 wherein said stick carrier, in its position of maximum projection, lies within the corresponding ends of the members which enclose it, and wherein the said end of one of said members, such as said inner sleeve, has a bore of diameter substantially equal to that of said dome and ending in a counterbore having a slightly greater diameter corresponding substantially to the outside diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of said flexible tongues.

4. The container set forth in claim 3 wherein the diameter of said counterbore in one of said members is slightly greater than the diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of said tongues whereby said dome can fall away freely on reverse operation of the container.

5. The container set forth in claim 3 wherein the diameter of said counterbore in one of said members is slightly less than the diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of said tongues whereby said dome is lightly frictionally retained in the corresponding end of said one of said members.

6. The container set forth in claim 1 wherein the external cylindrical surface of said open end of said dome has a diameter slightly less than that of the remainder of said dome to'facilitate the movement of said dome.

' said dome tits is of tapered shape.

..7 .8 7. The container set forth in claim 1 wherein the outdome. side face Of that part Of said stick carrier onto which The container of claim 1 whgrcin said projections are constituted each by a longitudinal rib. 8. The container set forth in claim 7 wherein said tapered part of said stick carrier is shorter than the The s??? s wherem sald projeccounterbore portion of said dome and it is followed by are cons 1 u e eac y a a cylindrical portion for receiving the open end of said I216 l060ll 0188 

1. In a container for paste-like materials in stick form, comprising inner and outer sleeves of moulded plastics which are capable of relative rotation, a stick carrier movable within said inner sleeve and having thereon at least one pin projecting through a slot in said inner sleeve to engage also a slot in said outer sleeve, one of said slots extending longitudinally and the other helically, and a removable stick-protecting dome of substantially the same outside diameter as said stick carrier and having an open end by which it fits onto said stick carrier, said dome having a counterbore at said open end and longitudinal slits in the counterbored open end portion, defining between them spaced flexible tongues, the improvement which consists in the provision of a projection on the inside surface of each one of said tongues, each projection having a radial thickness not greater than the radial depth of said counterbore, said projections acting frictionally to engage said stick carrier at spaced points prior to removal of said dome from said container and acting to facilitate removal of said dome from said container.
 2. The container set forth in claim 1 wherein said stick carrier in its position of maximum projection projects beyond the members which enclose it and wherein the corresponding end of one of the said members has an inwardly directed flange serving for ejecting said dome.
 3. The container set fortH in claim 1 wherein said stick carrier, in its position of maximum projection, lies within the corresponding ends of the members which enclose it, and wherein the said end of one of said members, such as said inner sleeve, has a bore of diameter substantially equal to that of said dome and ending in a counterbore having a slightly greater diameter corresponding substantially to the outside diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of said flexible tongues.
 4. The container set forth in claim 3 wherein the diameter of said counterbore in one of said members is slightly greater than the diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of said tongues whereby said dome can fall away freely on reverse operation of the container.
 5. The container set forth in claim 3 wherein the diameter of said counterbore in one of said members is slightly less than the diameter of the pitch circle on which lie the tips of said tongues whereby said dome is lightly frictionally retained in the corresponding end of said one of said members.
 6. The container set forth in claim 1 wherein the external cylindrical surface of said open end of said dome has a diameter slightly less than that of the remainder of said dome to facilitate the movement of said dome.
 7. The container set forth in claim 1 wherein the outside face of that part of said stick carrier onto which said dome fits is of tapered shape.
 8. The container set forth in claim 7 wherein said tapered part of said stick carrier is shorter than the counterbore portion of said dome and it is followed by a cylindrical portion for receiving the open end of said dome.
 9. The container of claim 1, wherein said projections are constituted each by a longitudinal rib.
 10. The container of claim 1, wherein said projections are constituted each by a pip. 